Electroless plating systems and methods

ABSTRACT

Electroless plating systems and methods are described herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD & BACKGROUND

The present invention is related to the field of integrated circuits (IC). More specifically, various aspects of the present invention are related to electroplating electroless plating of wafers, an operation included in most IC fabrication process. As with virtually all other fabrication operations, deposition, planarization, etching, and so forth, the requirements have to be met with virtually no deviation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, but not limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an electroless plating system, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an electroless plating method employing the electroless plating system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates another electroless plating system, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates another electroless plating method employing the electroless plating system of FIG. 3, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another electroless plating system, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another electroless plating method employing the electroless plating system of FIG. 5, in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Various aspects of the illustrative embodiments will be described using terms commonly employed by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced with only some of the described aspects. For purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the illustrative embodiments. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. In other instances, well-known features are omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the illustrative embodiments.

Various operations will be described as multiple discrete operations, in turn, in a manner that is most helpful in understanding the present invention, however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are necessarily order dependent. In particular, these operations need not be performed in the order of presentation.

The phrase “in one embodiment” is used repeatedly. The phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment, however, it may. The terms “comprising”, “having” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise.

Referring now to FIG. 1, wherein a simplified diagram illustrating an electroless plating system, in accordance with one embodiment, is shown. As illustrated, electroless plating system 100 includes point of use (POU) process chamber 102 (hereinafter, simply chamber) and a number of chemical tanks 108 coupled to each other by a piping system 120 as shown. For the embodiment, piping system 120 includes corresponding in-line heaters 114 for tanks 108. Further, system 100 includes system controller 106 coupled to tanks 108 and in-line heaters 114.

Chamber 102 is employed to apply a plating solution to wafers. In various embodiments, chamber 102 may be a spray type, a microcell type, a spin on type, or other electroless plating chamber of the like.

For the embodiments, the chemicals employed to form the plating solution are separated pre-heated to an application temperature, and mixed in-line at point 122 of piping system 120 which is substantially just prior to the point of application to a wafer (in chamber 102). Resultantly, plating solution is anticipated to be more suitable for plating wafer, e,g. containing less particles.

In various embodiments, the plating solution is formed by mixing a metal with a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and/or a reducing agent. In various embodiments, the metal may be one of Co, Cu, Ni, Fe, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd and Ru. The complexing agent may be a selected one of a citric acid and EDTA (Ethylenediamine Tetraacetic Acid). The buffer may be a selected one of NH4Cl and a boric acid. The pH adjuster is a selected one of KOH and TMAH (Tetramethylammonium Hydroxide). The reducing agent may be one of DMAB (Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde), hypophosphite, formaldehyde, and glyoxylic acid. The exact composition, including the amount of contribution of each constituent chemical is application dependent.

Tanks 108 are employed to separately hold the metal, and the one or more of the complexing agent, the buffer, the pH adjuster and the reducing agent, separately at room temperature. Tanks 108 may be tanks of any type suitable for the particular chemicals.

Corresponding in-line heaters 114 are employed to separately heat the chemicals to an application temperature. The exact temperature is application dependent. In various embodiments, the temperature is in the range of 30 C.-90 C.

System controller 106 is employed to control the operation of system 100. In various embodiments, system controller 106 may be a special purpose or general purpose computing device, provided it has the appropriate input/output interfaces for interfacing with the various tanks 108 and heaters 114. These interfaces may be serial or parallel interfaces of a variety of types.

FIG. 2 illustrates an electroless plating method, employing the electroless plating system of FIG. 1, in accordance with one embodiment. As illustrated, at 202, a metal and one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent are separately routed for mixing and application to a wafer. At 204, the metal and the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent are separately in-line heated to an application temperature, while they are being separately routed.

Thereafter, at 206, the heated metal and the heated one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent are in-line mixed substantially just prior to application to the wafer. Finally, at 208, the near point-of-use mixed plating solution is applied to the wafer.

Referring now to FIG. 3, wherein a simplified diagram illustrating another electroless plating system in accordance with another embodiment, is shown. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1, electroless plating system 300 includes a point of use (POU) process chamber 102 (hereinafter, simply chamber), a number of chemical tanks 108 a, coupled to each other by a piping system 120 as shown. Additionally, electroless plating system 300 includes a number of water and surfactant tanks 108 b, coupled to the earlier enumerated elements as shown. Piping system 120 further includes in-line heater 114 for tanks 108 b. As the embodiment of FIG. 1, system 100 also includes system controller 106 coupled to tanks 108 a-108 b and in-line heater 114.

Chamber 102, tanks 108 a and system controller 106 are employed for substantially the same purposes, and similarly constituted as earlier described for the embodiment of FIG. 1, except system controller 106 is also employed to control tanks 108 b.

Tanks 108 b are employed to separately hold de-ionized (DI) water and a surfactant. In various embodiments, the surfactant may be one of RE 610, Triton X100, polyethers, and polyoxyethylne. In alternate embodiments, electroless plating system 300 may be practiced without the use of surfactant.

In-line heaters 114 are employed to heat the mixture of DI water and the surfactant at an application temperature. The exact temperature is application dependent. In various embodiments, the temperature is in the range of 70 C.-100 C.

The heated DI water (with or without surfactant) is employed to heat the pipe segments, as well as to dilute and heat the plating solution. Resultantly, under this embodiment, plating solution is also anticipated to be more suitable for plating wafer, e,g. containing less particles.

FIG. 4 illustrates another electroless plating method, employing the electroplating electroless plating system of FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment. As illustrated, at 402, DI water (optionally mixed with a surfactant) is pre-heated to a predetermined temperature. At 404, the pre-heated DI water (with or without surfactant) is employed to pre-heat one or more pipeline segments of pipeline system 120, chamber 102 and a wafer.

Then, at 406, the chemicals are mixed into an initial relatively more concentrated plating solution, which in turn at 408, is mixed with the DI water (with or without surfactant) to form the final properly diluted, but heated plating solution. The concentration of the initial plating solution, DI water dilution ratio, and so forth are all application dependent. In various embodiments, 1 to 10 parts of the DI water are mixed with 1 part of the initial more concentrated plating solution.

Finally, at 410, the diluted, but heated plating solution is applied to the wafer.

Referring now to FIG. 5, wherein a simplified diagram illustrating an electroless plating system in accordance with one embodiment is shown. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, electroless plating system 500 includes a point of use (POU) process chamber 102 (hereinafter, simply chamber) and a number of chemical, water and surfactant tanks 108 a and 108 b, coupled to each other by a piping system as shown. Additionally, electroless plating system 500 includes electroanalytical subsystem 104.

The piping system also includes in particular, configurable valve 112 and first and second routes 110 a and 110 b coupling chamber 102 and electroanalytical subsystem 104 to valve 112. Further, the piping system includes in-line heaters 114 disposed in between tanks 108 b and valve 112, i.e. downstream from tanks 108 b, but upstream of valve 112.

Additionally, electroless plating system 100 includes system controller 106, coupled to tanks 118 a-118 b, electroanalytical system 104, and heaters 114 a-114 b as shown.

Chamber 102, tanks 108 a-108 b and system controller 106 are employed for substantially the same purposes, and similarly constituted as earlier described for the embodiment of FIG. 1, except system controller 106 is also employed to cooperate with electroanalytical subsystem 104.

Electroanalytical subsystem 104 is employed to perform a qualification analysis to qualify the final plating solution before allowing the plating solution to be applied to a wafer in chamber 102. In various embodiments, electroanalytical subsystem 104 includes a number of modules to perform one or more electroanalysis of reaction kinetics. In various embodiments, electroanalytical subsystem 104 may include one or more electroanalysis modules for performing electroanalysis for adsorption, nucleation, and deposition rates, pH balances, as well as particles generation count.

More specifically, in various embodiments, electroanalytical subsystem 104 may include

-   -   a Quart Crystal Mircobalance (QCM) module to analyze the plating         solution for adsorption, nucleation, and deposition rates, based         e.g. on frequency changes as a function of weight change,     -   an Open Circuit Potential (OCP) module to analyze the plating         solution for open circuit potentials, based e.g. on nucleation         time,     -   a pH meter to analyze the plating solution for pH balance,     -   a particle counter to analyze the plating solution for         particles.     -   An Ultra Violet Visible Spectroscopy (UV-VIS) to analyze the         concentrations of metal ions in the solution

Each of these modules may be implemented with any one of a number of these modules available from manufacturers such as, QCM Research of Saddleback Valley of CA, Radiometer Analytical SAS of Lyon, France, and so forth.

In alternate embodiments, electronanalytical subsystem 104 may be implemented with more or fewer electroanalysis modules.

Valve 112 of the piping system is advantageously employed to selectively route the plating solution, via route 11Oa, to electroanalytical subsystem 104 for qualification analysis, and via route 110 b to chamber 102 for application, after the plating solution has been qualified by the qualification analysis. In various embodiments, valve 112 may be implemented employing any one of a number of valves of the electronic type. In other embodiments, other controllable or configurable valves may also be employed.

For the illustrated embodiment, system controller 106 is further employed to analyze the results of the qualification analyses performed by electroanalytical subsystem 104. In various embodiments, system controller 106 compares the results of the electroanalytical analyses, i.e. QCM, OCP and other measurements, with a number of thresholds/limits. In various embodiments, these thresholds and/or limits are pre-provided to system controller 106. The threshold and/or limits are application dependent, depending on the electroless plating desired for a wafer, and they may be empirically determined.

In various embodiments, system controller 106 stops tanks 108 a-108 b from further supplying the plating solution, if not all of the thresholds and limits are met. In other embodiments, system controller 106 may be equipped to adjust the chemicals, water and/or surfactant supplied by tanks 108 a-108 b, and/or the amount of heat supplied by heater 114, if not all of the thresholds and limits are met, but the failing metrics are within certain tolerance levels. Just like the threshold and limits, the tolerance levels are application dependent, and may be empirically determined.

In alternate embodiments, the plating solution to be qualified may be formed employing tanks 108 and corresponding in-line heaters 114, configured as shown in FIG. 3. Regardless, the embodiment provides a high degree of assurance in achieving the desired quality of electroless plating.

FIG. 6 illustrates yet another electroless plating method of the present invention, in accordance with one embodiment. As illustrated, at 602, the plating solution is first formed (e.g. as earlier described referencing FIG. 4). At 604, the plating solution is first routed for qualification analysis. At 606, the results of the qualification analysis are examined to determine if the plating solution passes the qualification analysis. If the determination is affirmative, i.e. the plating solution was determined to pass the qualification analysis, the plating solution is allowed to be routed to the application chamber for application onto wafers, 608. However, if the determination is negative, i.e. the plating solution failed to pass the qualification analysis, the plating solution is rejected, and the electroless plating process is halted for correction.

CONCLUSION AND EPILOGUE

Thus, it can be seen from the above descriptions, a novel electroless plating system and method have been described. While the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The present invention can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, the chemicals may be delivered in bulk in part or in entirety.

Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive on the present invention. 

1. A method comprising: separately routing a metal and one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent for mixing and application to a wafer; in-line heating the metal and the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent to an application temperature, while they are being routed; and in-line mixing the heated metal and the heated one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent substantially just prior to application to the wafer; and applying the mixture of the heated metal and the heated one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent to the wafer.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal is a selected one of Co, Cu, Ni, Fe, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd and Ru.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein either a selected one of a citric acid and EDTA is used as a complex agent, a selected one of NH4Cl and a boric acid is used as a buffer, a selected one of KOH and TMAH is used at a pH adjuster, or a selected one of DMAB, hypophosphite, formaldehyde, and glyoxylic acid is used as a reducing agent.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein said in-line heating comprises heating the metal and the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent to an application temperature in a range of 30 C.-90 C.
 5. A system comprising: a chamber to apply a plating solution to plate one or more wafers; a plurality of tanks to separately hold a metal and one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent; and a piping system having a plurality of segments, including a plurality of in-line heaters for a subset of the segments, to separate route, in-line heat, and mix to form the plating solution, substantially just prior to application, the metal and the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent, in-line heat the metal and the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of tanks comprise a tank to store a selected one of Co, Cu, Ni, Fe, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd and Ru.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of tanks comprise a tank to store either a selected one of a citric acid and EDTA to be used as a complex agent, a selected one of NH4Cl and a boric acid to be used as a buffer, a selected one of KOH and TMAH to be used at a pH adjuster, or a selected one of DMAB, hypophosphite, formaldehyde, and glyoxylic acid to be used as a reducing agent.
 8. The system of claim 5, wherein the in-line heaters are capable of in-line heating the metal and the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent to an application temperature in a range of 30 C.-90 C.
 9. A method comprising: heating DI water to a predetermined temperature; pre-heating one or more pipeline segments, a chamber and a wafer to the predetermined temperature employing the heated DI water; in-line mixing a concentrated plating solution with the heated DI water in said pre-heated one or more pipeline segments to form a diluted, but heated plating solution, and routing the diluted, but heated plating solution to the chamber; and applying the diluted, but heated plating solution to the wafer.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the DI water having a surfactant mixed in, and the method further comprises mixing the DI water with the surfactant.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the surfactant is a selected one of RE 610, Triton X100, polyethers, and polyoxyethylne.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating of the DI water comprises heating the DI water to a temperature in a temperature range of 70 C.-100 C.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein said in-line mixing comprises mixing 1 to 10 parts of the DI water with 1 part of the concentrated plating solution.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein said applying comprises applying 100 ml/min-10 l/min of the diluted, but heated plating solution to the wafer, rotating with an angular speed greater than 10 revolutions per minute.
 15. A system comprising: a chamber to apply a plating solution to plate one or more wafers; a heater to heat DI water to a predetermined temperature; and a piping system having one or more pipe segments coupled to the heater and the chamber, to allow at least a selected one of the one or more pipe segments, the chamber and the wafer to be heated by the DI water, to in-line mix a concentrated plating solution with the heated DI water to form said plating solution, and to route said plating solution to said chamber.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the DI water having a surfactant mixed in, and the piping system further facilitates in-line mixing the DI water with the surfactant.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the surfactant is a selected one of RE 610, Triton X100, polyethers, and polyoxyethyLne.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the heater is equipped to heat the DI water to a temperature in a temperature range of 70 C.-100 C.
 19. The system of claim 15, wherein the piping system is designed to allow in-line mixing of 1 to 10 parts of the DI water with 1 part of the concentrated plating solution.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein the piping system is designed to allow a flow of the plating solution at 100 ml to 10 l per minute to be applied to a wafer, rotating with an angular speed greater than 10 revolutions per minute.
 21. A method comprising: forming a plating solution for plating a wafer; configuring a piping system to route the plating solution for qualification analysis; performing said qualification analysis; determining whether the plating solution passes the qualification analysis; and re-configuring the piping system to route the plating solution for application on the wafer, if the plating solution passes the qualification analysis.
 22. The method of claim 1, wherein said forming comprises mixing a metal with one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent.
 23. The method of claim 22, wherein said forming further comprises mixing DI water with said mixture of a metal and at least a selected one of one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent.
 24. The method of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises mixing DI water and a surfactant, and said forming further comprises mixing said mixture of DI water and surfactant with said mixture of a metal and at least a selected one of one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent.
 25. The method of claim 21, wherein said forming comprises heating the plating solution to an application temperature.
 26. The method of claim 21, wherein said forming comprises forming said plating solution in a selected one of said piping system and a mixing tank.
 27. The method of claim 21, wherein said configuring of a piping system comprising configuring a valve of the piping system to route the plating solution onto a first path for said qualification analysis, and said re-configuring of the piping system comprising re-configuring the valve to route the plating solution onto a second path for application.
 28. The method of claim 21, wherein said performing of a qualification analysis comprises performing one or more electroanalyses for one or more reaction kinetics.
 29. The method of claim 28, wherein said performing of one or more electroanalyses for one or more reaction kinetics comprises performing one or more electroanlyses for one or more of adsorption, nucleation, deposition rates, pH balance, and particles generation, and comparing the result(s) against one or more corresponding qualification metrics.
 30. The method of 14, wherein said performing of one or more electroanalyses for one or more reaction kinetics comprises performing one or more of a Quart Crystal Microbalance (QCM) analysis, an Open Circuit potential (OCP) analysis, a pH analysis, a particle count analysis, and a UV-VIS analysis
 31. A system comprising: an electroanalytical subsystem equipped to qualify a plating solution; a chamber to apply a plating solution to plate one or more wafers; and a piping system having a configurable value, a first route coupling the valve and the electroanalytical subsystem, and a second route coupling the valve and the chamber, allowing a plating solution to be routed to the electroanalytical subsystem for qualification analysis, prior to being routed to the chamber for application.
 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of tanks to correspondingly store a metal and one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent, and the piping system further comprises a third plurality of routes to mix in-line the metal with the one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent to form the plating solution.
 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of tanks comprise a tank to store DI water, and the third plurality of routes further mix in-line said DI water with said mixture of a metal and at least a selected one of one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent, to form the plating solution.
 34. The system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of tanks comprise tanks to correspondingly store DI water and a surfactant, and the third plurality of routes further mix the DI water with the surfactant, and then mixes said mixture of DI water and surfactant with said mixture of a metal and at least a selected one of one or more of a complexing agent, a buffer, a pH adjuster and a reducing agent, to form the plating solution.
 35. The system of claim 31, wherein the system further comprises a heater disposed upstream of the valve to heat the plating solution to an application temperature.
 36. The system of claim 31, wherein the system further comprises a controller coupled to the electroanalytical subsystem and the valve, to configure the valve based at least in part on result of the qualification analysis.
 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the controller is equipped to compare the result(s) of the qualification analysis to one or more qualification metrics.
 38. The system of claim 31, wherein said electroanalytical subsystem comprises one or more modules to perform one or more electroanalyses for one or more reaction kinetics.
 39. The system of claim 31, wherein said electroanalytical subsystem comprises one or more modules to perform one or more electroanlyses for one or more of adsorption, nucleation, deposition rates, pH balance, and particles generation, and comparing the result(s) against one or more corresponding qualification metrics.
 40. The system of claim 31, wherein said electroanalytical subsystem comprises one or more modules to perform one or more of a Quart Crystal Microbalance (QCM) analysis, an Open Circuit potential (OCP) analysis, a pH analysis, a particle count analysis, and an UV-VIS analysis 